Echinacea plant named ‘BullEchipur 108’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Echinacea plant having a compact growth habit and numerous, lavender-pink colored blooms.

Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea.

Varietal denomination: ‘BullEchipur 108’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Echinaceaplant known by the varietal name ‘BullEchipur 108’. The new variety wasdiscovered in August of 2019 in Gönnebek, Germany as the result of aplanned breeding program with the purposes of providing Echinacea plantswith unique flower colors, a compact growth habit, increased branching,and more uniformity when compared to prior Echinacea plants. The newvariety is the result of a cross between an unpatented Echinaceapurpurea variety from the internal breeder's reference of “Bul 2015-138”(female parent) and open pollination from a collection of unpatentedEchinacea purpurea varieties referred to as “Bul Mix 04-2016” from thebreeder's own collection. As such, the exact male parent from thiscollection is unknown. The new variety was first asexually reproducedvia in-vitro tissue culture cuttings in Gönnebek, Germany in Septemberof 2019. The new variety is similar to its parental varieties inbotanical classification, but exhibits a more compact growth habit anddifferent flower color than both of its parental varieties. The rayflorets of the female parent are hot pink in color (close to Red-PurpleGroup RHS 68B) and the ray florets of the possible male parents are pinkin color. Further, ‘BullEchipur 108’ exhibits better branching than itsfemale parent and smaller leaves than any of its possible male parents.

When ‘BullEchipur 108’ is compared to Echinacea purpurea variety named‘Amazing Dream’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,019), ‘BullEchipur 108’ issimilar to ‘Amazing Dream’ in botanical classification and flower color,but ‘BullEchipur 108’ exhibits a more compact growth habit with lessbranching (‘Amazing Dream’ has approximately 50 flower stems) and fewerflowers (‘Amazing Dream’ has 1-3 inflorescences per stem) thatdistinguish it from ‘Amazing Dream’. Further, the followingcharacteristics distinguish ‘BullEchipur 108’ when generally compared toother Echinacea varieties known to the breeder:

-   -   Lavender-pink flower color;    -   High flower number per plant;    -   A very compact and uniform growth habit;    -   High branching;    -   Fast crop time; and    -   Small leaves.        The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been        found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true        to type through successive asexual propagations. The present        invention has not been evaluated under all possible        environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations        in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawing illustrates the new variety at 22weeks of age, with the color being as nearly true as is possible withcolor illustrations of this type:

FIG. 1 shows an entire plant of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description sets forth the characteristics of thenew variety as the result of asexual reproductions performed via invitro tissue culture cuttings carried out in Gönnebek, Germany. Plantsof the new variety were grown outdoors in 19 cm (3 liter) pots undernormal field production conditions, and the color readings andmeasurements were observed outdoors under natural light on 22 week oldplants in Gönnebek, Germany. Color references are primarily to The 2015R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, SixthEdition, except where terms of ordinary significance are used.

PLANT

-   Time to initiate roots: About 7 days at approximately 19-20° C.-   Time to develop roots: About 40-50 days at approximately 18° C.-   Time to produce a finished flowering plant from a rooted cutting:    About 12-14 weeks in a 19 cm container.-   Rooting habit: Exhibits numerous roots that are freely branching and    healthy in appearance.-   Plant height: 45.0-50.0 cm.-   Plant width: 25.0-30.0 cm.-   Habit: Upright, compact, and uniform growth with numerous branches.-   Disease/pest resistance: Nothing unusual noted to date.-   Temperature tolerance: Nothing unusual noted to date.-   Drought tolerance: Average.-   Branches (flowering stems):    -   -   Number per plant.—15-35.        -   Length.—20.0-30.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—3.0-10.0 mm.        -   Internode length.—1.0-5.0 cm.        -   Angle.—Upright and outward.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Pubescence present.        -   Color.—Close to Yellow-Green Group RHS 146A.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Single.        -   Leaf.—Length: 4.0-14.0 cm. Width: 1.0-3.0 cm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate to acute.            Margin: Entire. Aspect: Straight to curved. Texture: Upper            surface: Rough. Lower surface: Rough. Color: Young leaves:            Upper surface: Close to Green Group RHS 137A. Lower surface:            Close to Green Group RHS 137C. Mature leaves: Upper surface:            Close to Green Group RHS 137A. Lower surface: Close to Green            Group RHS 137C. Petiole: None present. Veins: Venation type:            Cross-venulate to longitudinal. Color: Upper surface: Close            to Yellow-Green Group RHS 145A. Lower surface: Close to            Yellow-Green Group RHS 145B.

INFLORESCENCE

-   Bud:    -   -   Diameter.—1.0-3.0 cm.        -   Length.—1.3-2.0 cm.        -   Color.—Close to Green Group RHS N137C.-   Appearance: Elliptic-shaped ray florets and tubular-shaped disc    florets.-   Natural flowering season: Flowering occurs from July-September in    Gönnebek, Germany, beginning approximately 12-14 weeks after    planting.-   Average number of inflorescences per plant: 20-35.-   Average number of inflorescences per branch: 1-2.-   Disc and ray floret arrangement: Disc florets are arranged in the    middle of the receptacle of the composite, single, freely flowering    plant, with ray florets extending outwardly therefrom.-   Fragrance: Very light and sweet.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—4.0-8.0 cm.        -   Height (depth).—2.0-3.5 cm.        -   Diameter of disc.—1.5-3.0 cm.        -   Receptacle height.—1.0 cm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—1.5-3.5 cm.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Number per inflorescence.—18-30.        -   Arrangement.—In two or three whorls.        -   Length.—2.0-3.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.2-1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth and glabrous. Lower surface:            Rough.        -   Color.—When opening: Upper surface: Close to Purple Group            RHS 75B to 75A. Lower surface: Close to Purple Group RHS            75C. At maturity: Upper surface: Close to Purple Group RHS            75B to 75A. Lower surface: Close to Purple Group RHS 75C.            Ground color description: Close to Purple Group RHS 75B to            75A.        -   Venation.—Appearance: Parallel. Color: Upper surface: Same            color as the florets. Lower surface: Same color as the            florets.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Number per inflorescence.—Numerous; too many to quantify.        -   Arrangement.—In the center of receptacle.        -   Length.—8.0-15.0 mm.        -   Width.—1.0-2.0 mm.        -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Apex.—Pointed.        -   Color.—Immature: Close to Greyed-Purple Group RHS 187C. At            maturity: Close to Greyed-Purple Group RHS 187C.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Number per inflorescence.—40-50.        -   Arrangement.—In three to four whorls.        -   Length.—Approximately 1.0 cm.        -   Width.—2.0-4.0 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Elongated oval.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Rough. Lower surface: Rough.        -   Color.—Immature: Upper surface: Close to Green Group RHS            NN137C. Lower surface: Close to Green Group RHS NN137C. At            maturity: Upper surface: Close to Green Group RHS NN137C.            Lower surface: Close to Green Group RHS NN137C.-   Reproductive organs:-   Androecium:    -   -   Presence.—On disc florets.        -   Number (per floret).—One.        -   Filament length.—1.0-2.0 mm.        -   Filament color.—Red-brown.        -   Anther.—Shape: Oval. Length: 1.0 mm. Color: Red-brown.        -   Pollen.—Color: Close to Yellow-Orange Group RHS 15B. Amount:            Plentiful — too much to quantify.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Presence.—In disc and ray florets.        -   Pistil length.—1.0-2.0 mm.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Two-parted. Color: Red-brown.        -   Style.—Length: 1.0-2.0 mm. Color: Red-brown.-   Seeds:    -   -   Overall size.—1.0-2.0 mm.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echinacea plant named‘BullEchipur 108’, as is herein illustrated and described.